Rail securing means



Nov. 22, 1932. J. s, KuRKowsKl RAIL SECURING MEANS Filed July 1'7, 1931 Patented Nov. 1932` UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH S. KURKOWSKI, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, .ASSIG-NOR TO JONES & LAUGHLIN STEEL CORPORATION, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA RAIL SECURING MEANS Application filed July 17, 41931. Serial No. 551,367.

My invention relatesto means for securing railway rails in position upon cross-ties.

I am aware that a number of means for accomplishing this object have heretofore been proposed, but, so far as my knowledge extends, all these means have been objectionable in one Way or another, either from a manufacturing standpoint or from the standpoint of the operating characteristics. It, is the object of the present invention to ove-rcome these objections and toprovide a rail securing means comprising a tie-plate and a rail clip which can be manufactured without difficulty at relatively low expense and which will serveits intended purpose effectively throughout a long period of use.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a sectional View, taken through the web of a rail having the invention applied thereto, the flange of the rail being broken away and the invention being shown in plan view; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line II-lI of Figure 1. y

Referring in detail to the drawing, the invention comprises a tie-plate 10 adapted to rest upon and be secured to the usual crosstie 11. Corner holes 12 are provided in the plate 10 for receiving lag screws or screw spikes 13 for securing the plate to the tie.

On opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the plate, upstruclr lugs 14 are formedl by punching outa hole 15 from the body of the plate and bending the punched-out material at substantially right angles to the latter. The inner edges of the lugs 14 are spaced from the transverse center line of the plate, Which coincides with the center line `of the rail, so as to engage the rail flange v16 for the purpose of maintaining a predetermined relative position of the rail with respect to the plate.

In orde-r to secure the rail firmly to the plate 10, I employ clips 17 adapted to engage the rail flange 16 and designed so as to be readily secured to the plate. For receiving one end of the rail clips 17, holes 18 are formed in the plate 10. Preferably, the side walls of these holes are tapered and one of them is provided with a shoulder 19 for a purpose to appear hereinafter. The holes 18 and the shoulders 19 can readily be formed by hot punching and die forming operation.

T he rail clips 17 are of substantial U-shape and, when in place, occupy a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Figure 2. One end of the U-shaped clips 17 is bent, as

shown at 20, to form a portion for engaging the rail flange. The other end of the clips is given areverse bend, as shown at 21, and also an outward bend 22. The reverse bend 21 is made such that-the width of the bend end, under normal conditions, is slightly greater than the width of the hole 18 at the top of the plate 10.

The position of the clips before being sei cured to the tie-plates is shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. When in such position,

the applicationof pressure to the region of the bend 22 forces the end 21 of the clip through the upper end of the opening 18, slightly compressing the bent end 21, so that it will pass through the restricted portion of the hole 18. As soon as the bent end 21 has hole 18, it expands slightly so that the extreme end of the clip seats under the shoulder i 19 in the hole 18. The clip 17 is thereby firmly sec'ured to the tie-plate 10. The application of the clip also stresses the material thereof so that the end 20 exerts a downward pressure on the rail flange 16.

It will be apparent from the foregoingdescription that the invention isgcharacterized by numerous advantages. In the first place, since the plate is perfectly flat, except for the lugs 14 which are formed by bending up the material from the body of the plate, the

llatter may be manufactured from fiat stock of appropriate thickness. No special roll or shape is necessary and the use of flat stock considerably cheapens the product. The operations of striking up the lugs or punching and forming the holesy 18 are quite simple and can be performed without materially increasing the cost of the plate. The clip 17 is made of ordinary bar stock bent while hot to the required shape and practically no finishing operations are necessary thereon. As above explained, the application of the clips to the s 'tie-plates after the rails have been placed thereon can be effected easily.

Although I have illustrated and described herein but a single present preferred mo'dication of the invention, it will be apparent that numerous changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the in\ k dered side.

3. Rail securing'means comprising a tieplate having upstruck lugs for positioning a rail thereon'and a hole therethrough having one side undercut, anda clip of substantially U-shape seated on said plate substantially horizontally, one end of the clip being bent down to engage a rail flange, and the other end being reversely bent to 'enter said hole and engage said undercut side.

4. The combination with a rail supporting tie-plate and a hole therein, of a rail-securing clip having one end bent back on itself, curved outwardly and reversed again at its extremity, for entry into said hole and engagement with a side thereof.

`5. n a rail-securing clip, an end portion bent back on itself adapted to enter a hole ina tie-plate for engagement with a side thereof, and another portion arched to engage the rail {iange with its end.

In a tie-plate, a hole therethrough, and a rail clip having a bent back portion turned outwardly and reversely bent to form an end wider than said hole, whereby the end portion may be contracted and forced into the hole to secure the clip to the plate.

7 A rail-securing clip having a turned back end curved outwardly and reversed on itself, adapted to enter a hole slightly less in width than said end, whereby said end is initially contracted and then expands to secure the clip in the hole.

pesata? being curved in one direction to engage the ange of the rail with its end, the other leg being bent outwardly and reversed on itself for entry into a hole in a tie-plate.

ln testimony whereof l. have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH S. KURKOWSKL 8. The combination with a rail-supporting i tie-plate having a hole therein, of a rail clip having a portion engaging the rail flange with its end only and a bent back portion turned outwardly and reversed on itself to form an end of a width normally greater thanethat of the hole, whereby said end portion, when forced into the hole, contracts initially and eHects engagement with the plate.

9. A rail securing means comprising a clip of substantially itl-shape, one leg of the clip 

